Curbside recycling efforts in Lawrence may soon get a city-sponsored boost, but not a new city-run service.
City commissioners on Tuesday will review a plan that would allow the city to begin doing special marketing to draw attention to approximately a half-dozen privately operated curbside recycling services available in Lawrence.
The recommendation — made by the city’s Sustainability Advisory Board late last year — has won the support of city staff, who at one point had suggested the city create a pilot curbside recycling program that would be operated by city trash crews.
At least one city commissioner said he’s leaning toward giving the new marketing approach a try.
“There’s no sense in competing with private businesses, if we don’t have to,” said Commissioner Mike Dever, who has urged the city to look for curbside recycling options. “I think this might add some credibility to the existing firms that will cause more people to use them.”
The proposal involves three major parts:
• The city would design and fund an advertising campaign aimed at educating people about curbside recycling options that already exist in Lawrence.
• The city would purchase uniform recycling containers for the customers of the private companies to use and set out at their curbs. The hope is that the uniform containers would draw the attention of passers-by and create more awareness about curbside recycling options in Lawrence.
• All private curbside recycling companies would be required to register with the city, and provide officials with data on how much material they recycle and where they take it.
The proposal does not have any firm estimates on how much it would cost the city to do the marketing and buy containers, but Dever said that information will be important to know before moving forward.
Jeff Joseph, who has owned Jeff’s Curbside Recycling for nine years, said he’s pleased with the city’s proposed approach, especially if the registration process doesn’t involve a fee or large amounts of paperwork.
“I think it is great that they are trying to support something that is already in place,” Joseph said.
Based on information on various company Web sites, private Lawrence recyclers charge between $7 per month for once-per-month service to about $15 to $20 per month for weekly service.
Commissioners meet at 6:35 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall.
Comments
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ashmole (anonymous) says…
Perhaps we should close Eagle Bend then, since it competes with private golf courses in town.
oneeye_wilbur (anonymous) says…
The city has money for this program but not any money to fix N. 3rd as the detour street, not any money to rebuild allyeys throughout the city, not any money to clean up the parking lots downtown. There is a transformer in the lot just north of 9th, across from the historic Carnegie building that has been littered with trash around it for years. Wonder how come Neighborhood resources doesn't city the city?
If the commissioners follow through on this marketing plan , it only shows how detached they are from the realities of the city and it's true needs.
Dont fret, the retirees are coming to bring loads of money into Lawrence.
sunny (anonymous) says…
Spend, spend, spend!
When is common sense going to be used? Review the bank account....it's empty!
oneeye_wilbur (anonymous) says…
Who are the people on this Sustainability Advisory Board and what are their occupations and ages? Where do they live in town?
Now that should be a fair question for the J/W to do a story on?
I can see this coming now. City pays for marketing plan, city buys containers, private recyclers continue to pick up stuff, city charges a nominal fee, then city takes over the mess at 12th and Haskell and runs it's own recycling center with the private haulers picking up the crap. After all, the city has the city garages all around that corner. Then when the city takes the corner over, that building comes off the tax rolls, and the city recyling center becomes not for profit as it will employ some workers to do what the current operation is doing.
There is something about this that the public is not being told .
Who is on the Sustainability Board?
foodboy (anonymous) says…
Oneeye: I'm no computer whiz, but I found this with 2 clicks of my mouse. Take a little initiative instead of relying on others answer your ques ions.
http://www.ci.lawrence.ks.us/advisory...
redwingsfan1982 (anonymous) says…
The city should get Waste Management to do curbside recycling and the overall trash pickup.
sunshine_noise (anonymous) says…
It just behooves me that money is spent to drum up these new ideas, but when they go into action there's never enough money to keep them running effectively. Lawrence needs to take care of what needs to be fixed first before spending money on another new project. I don't think that many more people are going to recycle just because there is curbside service. Besides no one wants to or has the extra money to put into that sort of project just now. If they really must recyle there is always the Walmart recyle center to leave it. Better wait until the economy is better and people have jobs before starting this.
whatthehell (anonymous) says…
Sunshine says, If they really must recyle there is always the Walmart recyle center
What? Of course "they" should recycle. What the hell do you mean...."if". We should all recycle as much as possible. Period. In many areas of the country it is written into local ordinances. That is how important this is. My family currently utilizes Wal-Mart because it is there and it is free, but for many people they do not think they have time or resources, or a vehicle to get there. Having said that, I agree there obviously isn't a lot of money right now but Lawrence is way behind where we should be in recycling. Improvements and moving forward are necessary...somehow.
jafs (anonymous) says…
The best way to encourage more recycling would be to create a tiered charge system for trash pickup.
If it cost more to throw away more, people would have an incentive to look into the recycling available.
And, by the way, it's not that hard to find information - just look in the phone book.
steveguy (anonymous) says…
What a waste of money, waste, waste waste. Walmart has a recycle center that works great. Just put the stuff in your car and drive over. City needs to stay out of this, is this too much to ask?
oneeye_wilbur (anonymous) says…
foodboy, i do not rely on others, let me tell you, a good reporter would write an intelligent story and give the public the facts, but the J/W has to milk this issue, there will be more stories on this matter.
The public is not being told what is in the works.
so, there you are foodboy, don't eat too much food or you will become fat foodboy.
sunshine_noise (anonymous) says…
I don't think this recycling burden be totally put on consumers. The gov't needs to demand manufacturers better packaging. They over package products which cause more waste than anything. We buy the food only to have a heap of waste to decide where to put it. Personally I don't have the space for 5 different trash bins and that's just one more things I have to do in the already stressed schedule I have. Pick and choose what is a priority. Fixing super, doing laundry, cleaning house, keeping the yard up and taking care of the child and animals - not to mention my own personal needs, going to work and paying bills are more important than sorting trash to me.
whatthehell (anonymous) says…
Be careful sunshine...folks here will tear you apart for suggesting the govt be involved in anything. In part, I agree with you on the over packaging (however in some cases that may be mandated by laws to protect against contaminants). Having said that... Loading up the recycles and going to Wal-Mart presents a very good, regularly scheduled opportunity to talk to the kid(s) about what we waste, why it is important to conserve, not litter etc. I am proud that my little dudes look forward to a weekend trip to Wal-Mart to "do the right thing".
equalaccessprivacy (anonymous) says…
I'd appreciate the good efforts of my private recycler getting a city-sponsored boost in publicity and/or funds. Don't know if he'd like the bureaucratic hassle though.
George_Braziller (anonymous) says…
"Behooves"? "Behoove" is a real word but it still doesn't mean what you seem to think it does. It's actually the opposite.
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sunshine_noise (Anonymous) says…
It just behooves me that money is spent to drum up these new ideas
introversion (anonymous) says…
I'd be way more upset about being de-hooved, frankly. Granted of course that I was one of cloven feet to begin with.
sustainabilitysister (anonymous) says…
Chris from Sunflower Curbside Recycling is a great guy and very passionate about what he is doing. Check out his web sitehttp://www.kansasrecycles.com/
I am a former client of his and my parents and sister are current clients.
sustainabilitysister (anonymous) says…
that would be....
http://www.kansasrecycles.com/
oneeye_wilbur (anonymous) says…
Suspenders, no relation to barrypenders, just contacted wilbur and realizes there is a need for suspenders to hold up the britches of those at city hall and the "sustainabililty board" as they they may be in need.
The city commission has plenty of real problems to tackle and worrying about providing containers for a private recycler is not one of them.
Wil the city commission decide that having good dental health is important and provide free toothpaste.?
The city commission must have not much to do in this new year of 2010. NO left over projects from last year to complete?
sunshine_noise (anonymous) says…
Double and Triple packaging has nothing to do with contaminating food requirements. It began with Marketing. One Manufacturer did it to show off and the rest followed suit. Now it is an epidemic and its out of control. I knew this day would come. Yes we should recylce I've been doing it for years, until it just got too big even for me to do. We need to change the way Manufacturers package their food products. We don't need all this fancy chamcy packaging. I'm fine with simple wraps as long as the food is safe and it can be done. But the only way to change these Manufacturers is by Gov't mandate. OR Consumers can just stop buying their products which would be difficult to do because we all need to eat.
sherbert (anonymous) says…
I don't want the city getting involved in recycling, we have services for that. And I don't want my tax dollars going to pay for containers and advertising for private companies. Let them do their own, just like the rest of the local private businesses.